Job 37:9-13

37:9 A tempest blows out from its chamber,

icy cold from the driving winds. ¹ 

37:10 The breath of God produces ice,

and the breadth of the waters freeze solid.

37:11 He loads the clouds with moisture; ² 

he scatters his lightning through the clouds.

37:12 The clouds ³  go round in circles,

wheeling about according to his plans,

to carry out ⁴  all that he commands them

over the face of the whole inhabited world.

37:13 Whether it is for punishment ⁵  for his land,

or whether it is for mercy,

he causes it to find its mark. ⁶ 

[37:9]  ¹ tn The “driving winds” reflects the Hebrew “from the scatterers.” This refers to the north winds that bring the cold air and the ice and snow and hard rains.

[37:11]  ² tn The word “moisture” is drawn from רִי (ri) as a contraction for רְוִי (rÿvi). Others emended the text to get “hail” (NAB) or “lightning,” or even “the Creator.” For these, see the various commentaries. There is no reason to change the reading of the MT when it makes perfectly good sense.

[37:12]  ³ tn The words “the clouds” are supplied from v. 11; the sentence itself actually starts: “and it goes round,” referring to the cloud.

[37:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “that it may do.”

[37:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “rod,” i.e., a rod used for punishment.

[37:13]  ⁵ tn This is interpretive; Heb “he makes find it.” The lightning could be what is intended here, for it finds its mark. But R. Gordis (Job, 429) suggests man is the subject – let him find what it is for, i.e., the fate appropriate for him.